children writing

July musings

July 19, 2019 by Karen Comer 4 Comments

It’s been a little while since I posted! Four of my family of five have been sick, and I went down sick with the kids a month ago. We also had a holiday in sunny Queensland during the school break (everyone was well), and then we were back home with a sick daughter. So I thought I’d do a little catch-up post.

Workshops – I’ve presented two workshops over the last fortnight – a school holiday writing one for kids and an editing one for a marketing team. The kids’ workshop was fabulous and fun – 20 kids drawing characters, planning their stories and reading them aloud. The editing workshop was also fun – well, for me anyway! I hope the marketing team enjoyed it. We had discussed tools for brainstorming, planning and writing blog posts in an earlier workshop, and so I spent time with each participant, editing their blog post.
Editing – I’ve been collaborating with a pair of talented new writers who are writing their first book – a cross between a self-help guide and story for 9-12 year-old girls. Their manuscript has gone backwards and forwards between us, polishing and developing the story each time. I’m looking forward to checking the final draft next week.
Holidays – of course, holidays are lovely. But as well as the things you do on holidays, it’s also the things you don’t do that really make it. Things like driving your kids to all the activities, cooking dinner every night, making sure the sports uniforms are clean, answering text messages about sharing lifts, vacuuming etc. So that left plenty of time to sleep, read, eat and drink well, laze at the pool, have lovely conversations with my family and walk on the beach.
Reading – I’ve read an eclectic mix, everything from middle-grade fiction to adult non-fiction and fiction. Loved Jaclyn Moriarty’s Gravity is the thing, Angie Thomas’ On the come up and Sharon Kernot’s The art of taxidermy. Fascinated by Martha Beck’s Leaving the saints, her account of leaving her Mormon community. Enchanted by Roger Housden’s Ten poems to change your life, a selection of life-changing poems with a commentary on each one. (Note to self – read more poetry, not just on holidays!)
New website – friends of mine, Michael Hanrahan and Anna Clemman, launched their new website, Publish Central, yesterday. It’s a one-stop shop for anyone who is thinking about self-publishing a non-fiction or business book. There’s plenty of free resources and lots of information about the process of writing and publishing a book. It’s definitely worth having a look and passing on the details to any friends or family members who are thinking of self-publishing.
Eating – I’m eating more vegetarian dishes since Miss 12 is eating less meat. My favourite quick lunches to eat at home are chargrilled broccoli with smashed chickpeas, spicy eggplant with soba noodles and sweet potato salad with lentils. And then there was the lovely Thai restaurant on holidays, plus the delicious pizza, plus the wine, plus the ice-cream after dinner. Lots of pluses on holidays!
An anecdote – Mr 10 usually asks me for a puppy story when I pick him up from school – he’s interested to know if our ten-month golden retriever, Cleo, has been up to any adventures. This week, I had set out with her for a walk but we just turned the corner when she started sniffing frantically in the nature strip. Before I could stop her, she had gulped a bit of milk chocolate, still in its shiny foil wrapper. As you may or may not know, dogs are not supposed to have chocolate and often end up having their stomachs pumped. I called the vet, and they seemed to take forever to confer while I waited on the phone. They decided that because the amount of chocolate was so small – mini Easter egg size – and Cleo was large enough, she would be ok. And she was ok – phew! (Cleo’s photo taken by Miss 12.)

Let me know what you’ve been reading or eating or whether your dogs have been eating chocolate.

Different ways of thinking

October 5, 2018 by Karen Comer 4 Comments

There are so many different types of creativity and different ways to harness it. There’s also different ways to be logical and methodical and as many permutations as there are people for combining creativity and practicality.

I am a blend of inspirational and practical thinking – I do love to be organised because it means there’s more head space for creativity. So my pantry is ~~a little~~ obsessively neat and organised because that allows me to be more creative in the kitchen. But creativity comes first – this week, I forgot to put petrol in the car – yes, again!

In the children’s writing workshops I presented over the school holidays, the kids came up with many different ways to plan their stories. I offered both a linear approach and a more free-flowing, visual way to map out their stories in their writers’ notebooks.

Some kids naturally turned to the page with a list of questions and answered them chronologically. Others were drawn to the round diagram of the hero’s journey to generate ideas. Others drew pictures of their characters, created a flow chart or used a combination of stick figures and words to plan their story.

Our world needs diverse thinkers and doers, and encouraging kids to map out their stories creatively – both fictional and real-life – is an important life skill.

Quest writing workshops

September 28, 2018 by Karen Comer Leave a Comment

A vial full of unicorn tears, an old book with a hand drawn map, a pack of potion recipes, a feather, a baby dragon … these were just a few of the treasures found in my quest box for our writing workshops.

But really, the treasure was the dozen or so kids I taught writing to this week. They were enthusiastic about the writing activities and dedicated themselves to their stories with imagination, passion and skill. One of the workshop participants even came dressed in her unicorn onesie!

I felt I was doing exactly what I was put here on this earth to do – inspire kids to write with a blend of creativity and technique.

We looked at different quest books, we drew story maps in colour, we planned our stories with questions, we made up hilarious verbal quest stories about a marshmallow dragon who wanted to be a rainbow unicorn and a good wolf looking for a magic peacock feather, we used shadow puppets to tell a story and we wrote our own quest stories in writers’ notebooks.

I have so much hope for future adults when I observe the creativity, innovation and persistence of these children.

We had the perfect creative space at Side Door – lovely tables inside to write our stories and a light-filled courtyard for activities and breaks.

Next week, we are focusing on contemporary stories with everyday heroes. There are still spaces left on Tuesday and Thursday if you’d like to book your children into a workshop. No unicorn tears for next week but there will be plenty of courage and determination – within both the writers and their characters.

September holidays writing workshops for kids

August 31, 2018 by Karen Comer 6 Comments

Photo credit: Mandy Couzens

Do you have any imaginative and creative children or grandchildren who would like to spend a few hours in the holidays writing a story?

I’m running four writing workshops for kids in the September/October school holidays. I’ve presented these workshops in primary schools but this is the first time I’ve run them in the holidays.

The workshops are for children in grades 3-6. They’re invited to unlock their imaginations and craft a story, using writing techniques, art and games. Writing stories with both heart and technique is a life-skill in communicating with others and using language to express purpose and emotion.

Young writers can create a fantasy world where characters go on a quest to find something or save someone AND/OR create an ordinary character with extraordinary qualities that help to save the day in a modern setting.

They will learn how to:

– create characters
– plan their story
– write with passion
– use art and games to spark ideas

Writer’s Notebook

Each child will work in a special Writer’s Notebook, which contains prompts for further writing, reading suggestions, editing tips and much more. The Writer’s Notebook is a useful tool to take home for writing at school and home.

The writing workshops cater for children who are passionate readers and writers, as well as children who need a little more encouragement.

Dates

Tuesday 25th September – 9.30-12.30 – grades 3 & 4 – fantasy – quest theme
Thursday 27th September – 9.30-12.30 – grades 5 & 6 – fantasy – quest theme
Tuesday 2nd October – 9.30-12.30 – grades 3 & 4 – contemporary – heroes theme
Thursday 4th October – 9.30-12.30 – grades 5 & 6 – contemporary – heroes theme

Venue
All workshops will be held at Side Door – 72 Willsmere Rd, Kew. It’s a fabulous space, with an indoor section for writing and an outdoor section for breaks and games, and is next door to Flatiron, fashion and homewares store. For more information about Side Door, please see www.flatironmelbourne.com.au/side-door/ or email Emma Bangay at emma@flatironmelbourne.com.au

Logistics

BYO – drink bottle and snack.

All writing materials will be supplied.

Cost for each workshop is $50. Payment must be made by Friday 21^st September.

Karen Comer
Acc. no: 1119 3537
BSB: 063-791

Please email me at karen@karencomer.com.au to register your child and bring the signed form – link here – to the workshop.

Please forward this post on to your friends and family. I’m really looking forward to working with your children to create some amazing stories!

The Grand Imaginarium writing workshops for kids

October 6, 2017 by Karen Comer 6 Comments

On the loveliest of spring days these school holidays, my friend Renee and I took our kids to the Abbotsford Convent for a writing workshop with Lucinda Gifford, run through the Grand Imaginarium.

Lucinda is an illustrator and writer. She showed the kids her sketchbook – it was amazing. If I could choose an instant new talent, it would be drawing. I love looking at artists’ sketchbooks and Lucinda’s was fabulous.

Lucinda guided the kids through a group drawing, then set them off, creating their own alien.

Renee and I left at this stage, and went across to the other side of the quadrangle to the cafe where we discussed our own writing projects.

The kids reappeared two hours later with a mini library – their own books about aliens, complete with imprint details on the back page.

It’s not easy to find kids’ activities that cater for kids from 5-12, so it was a workshop that worked well for our family. The Grand Imaginarium run many programs – their vision is ‘a world where books by children for children strengthen culture, language and literacy in all communities’.

As the kids received two copies of their story, as well as the original, Mr 8 decided he could sell the copies. Please look out for his book, Kailback crash landing, available in all good bookshops – unless he cons his grandparents into buying a copy first!

Guest lecture on writing and blogging

September 22, 2017 by Karen Comer 10 Comments

I had the pleasure of presenting a university guest lecture this week for third-year teaching students. My topic was writing and blogging, with a focus on writing workshops for primary school students.

As I caught the tram to the university, it reminded me of my own uni days – a long time ago! I spent mornings at uni studying literature, and worked at an after-school-care program in the afternoons.

As a twenty-year-old coordinator for the after-school-care program, often responsible for up to sixty children an afternoon, I felt hugely accountable for these children. Sometimes I was the first person they could talk to if they had a tough day at school, a transition person between school and home. Sometimes I helped them negotiate playground matters or helped with homework. Often I heard about problems at school or home, while making hama bead pictures or shooting a basketball.

I thought about how important these teaching students are, and what an impact they’ll have on so many children. While I never had to worry about curriculum as an after-school-care coordinator, these teaching students will teach the curriculum, as well as resilience, overcoming obstacles, social behaviour and communication. And think abut the technology changes they will see over the course of a teaching career!

When I was a coordinator, even at age 20, I felt I would never have another job with so much responsibility. Publishing books and editing websites may have more accountability sometimes but it doesn’t have the same consequences if something goes wrong.

So I did get on my soapbox and talk about the importance of communication. After all, these teaching students, and their future students, will need to deliver a eulogy at a funeral, give a speech at a wedding, send a passionate email to a girlfriend or boyfriend overseas and present a talk asking for funding. We will all need to do some of those things, so it’s important to be intentional about whatever you’re presenting, however you’re presenting.

I spoke a lot about the writing workshops I offer, how to guide kids through creating characters and following their plots. All of the worksheets I’ve created can be downloaded and printed.

I recommended some of my favourite picture books and middle grade books, with ideas for how to use them in the classroom.

My favourite part of the lecture was when I invited the students to create a story with me, because it’s important that we understand what we ask children to do. The students made up an amazingly funny and gorgeous story about a boy called George who wanted a monkey to cuddle. The stakes were high, the problems seemingly insurmountable but George won through in the end!

Thank you so much to the teaching students who have subscribed to my blog – I look forward to sharing more writing tips for children with you.

In the margins

June 16, 2017 by Karen Comer 4 Comments

I stared at the file in dismay. My words from my middle-grade manuscript had been kindly and meticulously edited by my friend Renee. There were almost 5,000 words in four chapters. Renee’s comments were in purple. She’d given me quite a few ticks, but there were more suggestions and deletions than ticks.

Out of the four chapters, the one she liked the best was the one I wrote in a café the day before. I had suddenly realised I needed a scene where my protagonist apologised to someone she had hurt. (Because it’s good to make twelve-year-old characters do things they don’t want to do, and no one likes to admit they’re wrong!) A chai latte, an hour, about 1,000 words – done. Renee gave me lots of ticks for that one.

At first I was really disappointed. I knew the chapters weren’t singing yet but I didn’t think they were THAT bad. Then I became analytical. Why was my fresh, raw new chapter better than the ones I’d spent hours crafting?

It’s partly because the olds ones had been written about a year ago and I’m a better writer now. I’ve absorbed all the many books on writing I’ve read, and the many writing podcasts I’ve listened to and the hours spent discussing the finer points of writing with friends.

And it’s partly because we think that it’s easier sometimes to work around the edges, polish a few sentences and it’ll do. But sometimes a blank page and an hour offers no limits and no preconceived ideas.

I spent some of last weekend editing grade four stories for a writing workshop, and went into their class this week to talk to them about their stories. I showed them a few of my pages which had been reviewed by an editor – all the comments scrawled in the margins, the lines crossed out, suggestions written in between the lines.

‘This is a good thing!’ I told these nine and ten-year-old students, when I gave them their edited pages. ‘It means someone is responding to your work, and that’s what you want as a writer.’

I think I need to listen to my own advice. Sometimes illumination happens in the margins.

Editing is caring

May 31, 2016 by Karen Comer 10 Comments

Editing is caring! Ever heard that expression before? No? That’s because I made it up to help teach the grade four kids in my editing workshop last week! This was a follow-up workshop to help them edit their Dreamtime stories.

I explained how it is ok to have a messy first draft, because you are trying to think about your main character, and what he or she wants and what obstacles are in their way and what will happen in the end. So much to think about! So much to hold in your mind!

But it is not ok to have a messy final draft. If you have a messy final draft, it shows your readers that you don’t care enough about your writing. And if you don’t care about your writing, why should your readers bother to read it? (And this goes for adult writers as well!) So editing is definitely caring.

We talked about adding some interesting elements to your story to make it more interesting – metaphors, similes and alliteration. We discussed checking that spelling and punctuation were correct, and played a little game to help understand the punctuation for dialogue.

I gave them all a copy of my editing checklist to help tick things off. You can download and print it here.

There were many inspiring and inspired writers in these classes. But even if none of these kids become writers, they will still need to communicate – personally and professionally. They will need to write resumes, apply for grants, give a speech at their best friend’s 21st, write a eulogy, introduce a guest speaker, convince the love of their life that they should be together forever, put together their website content, write a succinct argument in 140 characters (or whatever social media replaces Twitter), write a letter to a large organisation outlining their reasons for demanding money back ….

And that is why we all need to write with clarity, edit with logic and communicate with passion.

Dreamtime writing workshop for primary schools

May 17, 2016 by Karen Comer 7 Comments

I remember my grade six teacher, Mr C, telling us that he learnt something from us kids every day. We were all amazed – what, our teacher was learning from us?

But now that I am a parent, and after running a couple of writing workshops for kids, I understand the wisdom behind his words.

Miss 9’s teachers asked me to run a writing workshop for their Dreamtime stories. The grade four kids and I started off with a discussion about the oral traditions of Aboriginal stories, and how they were often used to explain why an animal looked or moved in a certain way or how a landform occurred.

Then we moved into a warm-up game. I did warn them that this was a fire-up-your-imagination game, that their stories might not make sense, that they might even be a little crazy. The kids assured me that they were fine with crazy! And I told them that we would be sensible in the next workshop when it came to editing their work. I think they preferred the crazy to the sensible …

In groups of three, they each received a card with a character, a symbol and a purpose on it. The cards were completely random and were not designed to be a perfectly structured Dreamtime narrative but some of the groups made up beautifully constructed stories. Definitely credit to their parents and teachers for a solid few years of reading good books!

We talked about using strong nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs to create our stories, and we talked about the importance of collaboration, as the students were writing stories in groups of three.

Once they were in their groups of three, they chose their character, symbol and purpose from a list and began to shape their story. They each filled out a worksheet to help them work out their ideas, then made a plan together.

The students are going to write their stories over the next week, then I’ll read them before going in to do another workshop on adding depth to their stories with alliteration, metaphors, similes and personification.

I was so impressed by the kids’ engagement and enthusiasm, as well as their imaginative use of the basic ideas they were given. Can’t wait to read these stories about greedy Aboriginal girls who turned into witchetty grubs or kangaroos who teach us about the importance of fire!

If there are any teachers reading this post who would like more details, please let me know – I’m happy to provide more resources like the worksheet I created or the lists of characters, symbols and purposes.

How to make blank books for kids

April 5, 2016 by Karen Comer 4 Comments

As well as reading books, the kids and I have been making some books as well. Perfect holiday activity. Here’s instructions for two different types of books to make – one with a sewn binding and the other with a stick and rubber band.

Excuse my photos – I don’t usually post my own photos as I can’t claim any skill with a camera!

Sewn binding blank book

Place five pieces of white A4 paper on top of a coloured piece of A4 paper.
Make sure they are stacked neatly, and then fold in the middle to make an A5 size book.
Use a sewing machine to sew down the crease, doubling over your stitching at the top and bottom.
You can use white cotton and snip off your threads to make it look neat or you can use a contrasting cotton like red and leave the thread ends dangling for an artistic look.
It will take you longer to thread your sewing machine than sew these books – so it’s worth making a pile of them at once!

Rubber band and stick book

Place three pieces of white A4 paper on top of a coloured piece of A4 paper.
Make sure they are stacked neatly, and then fold in the middle to make an A5 size book.
Use a guillotine or scissors to cut your books. Our books measured 10.5cm long and 7cm wide but you can make them smaller than this. You can make two books from the A4 size paper, with some scraps left over.
Choose a sturdy twig from your garden or the park and snap it if necessary so it is just a little shorter than the length of your book.
Use a single hole punch to punch a hole about 1.5cm in from both ends of your book, along the folded side.
Put the stick on top of your book, with an end over each hole.
Thread the doubled loop of a rubber band through one hole from the back and put it over the stick.
Thread the other doubled loop of the rubber band through the other hole from the back and put it over the stick.

Of course, you can use your blank books for any type of writing or drawing project. Mr 6 started to write a story about Jack and his soccer boots. Miss 9 began a story about a girl who wanted a tiger for a pet. With each story, we used these writing worksheets as prompts for the story. I find it’s easier to start with the character, then ask what the character wants. Often kids are great at coming up with a character, but then don’t know what to do with their character. The writing worksheets guide kids to

create their character
work out what their character wants
think of some obstacles or an antagonist that might stop their character getting what they want.

And there, you have your story started!

Let me know if you find these worksheets or blank books useful.